A FAMILY BUSINESS

John Swallow · Sat Jun 03, 2017 11:43 pm

Bud Granley and his son Ross perform airshows mainly in western Canada and the western USA. Bud's craft is the YAK 55 while Ross flies a YAK 18; dissimilar aircraft which presents unique problems.

The links below show a couple of routines and an interview done with Ross. The routines prove that you don't have to be doing "The speed of heat" to put on a good show. Their performances are safe, in close, and at an altitude whereby "Granny" in the fourth row can see what's going on.

Colonel · Sun Jun 04, 2017 12:42 am

[img width=500 height=332]http://www.hacktheunion.org/wp-content/ ... mbs-up.jpg[/img]

Big Ears Teddy · Sun Jun 04, 2017 6:26 am

ALL CAPS MAKES IT EVEN BETTER

BCPilotguy · Wed Jun 07, 2017 4:49 am

I remember watching Bud Granley do airshows when I was a kid, I probably saw Ross as a snowbird too. They've been regulars at the Quesnel Skyfest (excellent airshow if you happen to be in BC in early August BTW) since its inception and their act is one that I really look forward to.

Watching Bud fly solo in the Yak, Harvard, or Fouga is pretty damn good too. If there is someone else living who'll snap roll a Harvard on takeoff I've never heard of them (Bobby Younkin used to to it, but he's dead now). Gives me goose bumps every time. Bud is around 80 years old. To be flying at that age is quite the achievement in itself, let alone flying at that level.

[youtube][/youtube]

TundraTire · Wed Jun 07, 2017 6:15 pm

Well they both flew for United, so they must be awful pilots right?

I'm sure they wore four bars....

Rookie Pilot · Wed Jun 07, 2017 9:31 pm

[quote author=TundraTire link=topic=6402.msg17044#msg17044 date=1496859320]
Well they both flew for United, so they must be awful pilots right?

I'm sure they wore four bars....
[/quote]

The second you put on bars, you're automatically a horrible pilot.

Colonel · Wed Jun 07, 2017 9:41 pm

Well, it sure as hell wouldn't help you.

Three Bars · Wed Jun 07, 2017 10:46 pm

The Granleys are awesome people... kind and humble.

And that snap roll on takeoff in the big heavy ponderous Harvard.

[youtube][/youtube]

cgzro · Fri Jun 09, 2017 11:07 am

The Harvard is may appear big and heavy but to fly its actually reasonably light and agile. I can see it doing a very nice snap actually as long as you know what the hell you are doing. Rick Volker also puts on a nice show with his.

cgzro · Fri Jun 09, 2017 11:09 am

That was a 3/4 snap on take-off ;) Look at the rotation rate, nothing heavy or sluggish about that. Thats full on aerobatic aircraft autorotation rate.